THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE
Photograph by Clifton Adams and Edwin L. Wisherd
A RITTENHOUSE CLOCK AT DREXEL INSTITUTE
David Rittenhouse's father was much pleased when his young son
made a tiny clock; but he little dreamed that this bent for model-making
would produce the foremost instrument-maker of the Colonies and result
in astounding the astronomical world with the most accurate obser
vation of the transit of Venus made up to that time. This master clock
boasts a music-box attachment, sixteen sets of chimes, and an accurate
little planetarium.
Later he bought the whole block bounded
by Seventh and Eighth and Walnut and
Chestnut streets, one block west of Inde
pendence Square, and therein began the
erection of a mansion of the most sump
tuous pattern. He poured vast sums of
money into this gorgeous place, which he
planned should be the grandest in Phila
delphia. But he failed in business before
its completion and it never was finished.
It came to be known as Morris's Folly, and
ultimately was razed to make way for the
march of business up
town.
STEPHEN GIRARD'S
PLACE IN PHILA
DELPHIA HISTORY
No one ever thinks
of Philadelphia trade,
finance, or phila n
thropy without think
ing also of Stephen
Girard. A native of
France, he made many
voyages to the New
World. His voyage on
La Julie in 1774 was
unfortunate. He lost
25 per cent on her
cargo and was afraid
to return to Bordeaux
lest he be imprisoned
for debt.
Instead he went to
New York and traded
out of there for a year
or so. Finally, in
April, 1776, he put
into Philadelphia. He
liked the city and the
city liked him, with all
his reserve.
Great consequences
grew out of his de
cision to seek his for
tune in the City of
Brotherly Love. He
invested half a million
dollars in the First
United States Bank.
When the Government
refused to renew the
charter, he bought the
bank and its home and
set it up as the Girard
Bank, with a capital of $1,200,000. Such
was the faith of the people in him that
he was able to retain the former staff and
$5,000,000 of the old bank's deposits.
When the yellow fever raged, this man,
who seemed cold and austere and whose
reserve was mistaken for selfishness, was
one of those few brave souls who went
into the alleys and poorer streets, helping
to relieve the sick and bury the dead,
with the kindliness and sympathy of the
gentlest of knights.
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